Automatic lubricator



Oct. 3l, 1939. B. G. CAPRA AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR Filed Oct. 18, 1937 Patented Oct. 31, 1939 j NITE STATES PATENT 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the lubrication of the journals of railroad rolling stock. At present, it is the practice to lubricate the journals by means of oil saturated waste which is packed into the journal boxes at intervals. The use of waste however is objectionable, as it requires frequent inspection and packing if it is to remain in the position and condition necessary tol properly function and avoid a hot box.

The principal object of my invention is to improve the lubrication of journals, and eliminate the use of Waste, by the provision of a mechanical lubricator, mounted inside the journal box and functioning automatically with the rotation of the journal.

The lubricator is fool proof, is not subject to material wear, and lrequires no attention o-r adjustment at any time. In order to keep journals properly lubricated at all times therefore, it is only necessary to keep the oil cellars of the journal boxes properly supplied with oil.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a journal box, showing my improved lubricator mounted therein.

35 Figure 2 is a front view of the journal box and lubricator, the vlatter partly in section and with the cover plate of the box removed.

Figure 3 is an elevation, looking outwardly, of the oil delivery ring and collecting ring guard unit,

40 detached.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the unit, with the guard partly broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, I denotes a journal box of substantially conventional type, whose front open end is closed in an oil tight manner by a plate 2 in place of the usual flaplid; the plate having an oil-ller plug 3 therein.

The bearing or brass 4 is mounted in the box at the top as usual and engages the upper portion of the journal 5 of axle 6, the journal having an enlarged head I at its outer end in front of the brass. This arrangement of parts provides an oil cellar 8 in the box below the journal.

My improved lubricator comprises an oil collecting ring 9, of greater bore than the diameter of the head 1, and overhanging the same in spaced and concentric relation therewith. This ring is formed with a front disc or end plate IB, which is secured to the journal to rotate therewith by 5 means of a forwardly projecting stud il secured in the journal and having a clamping nut I2 on its outer end. This stud is arranged so that the plate Ill is spaced from the outer face of head 1.

Formed in the periphery of the ring 9 are cir- 10 cumferential openings shaped to form oil scoops I3, the openings extending to the bore of the ring, and the scoops being shaped to gather oil from a supply in cellar 8 with the rotation of the journal.

Since most railroad rolling stock is apt to run in either direction, opposed scoops are shaped so that While one will pick up oil when the journal is turning in one direction, th-e other will pick up oil with a rotation in the other direction. This arrangement of course is not necessary when used on the modern articulated streamline trains, which are arranged to mainly travel in one direction only.

It will be noted that I have shown only one of each arrangement of scoop on the collecting ring, but more may of course be added if desired. The oil as it is scooped up is lifted to the top of the ring, where it discharges by gravity into a substantially horizontal channel Ill having a central side outlet I5 directly above the journal and delivering into a Vertical recess i6 formed in the front edge of the brass il.

This channel is formed in an oil delivery ring I1, which is disposed between ring 9 and head l, and extends forwardly to end plate lil. In this 3 manner, the delivery ring may have a greater Width than head 'I, so as to provide enclosed scoops and receiving channel of relatively great width and capacity.

The ring il, except at the channel, has a close 40 running iit with the bore of ring 9, so that oil in the scoops cannot escape between the rings except at the channel. To prevent oil in the scoops from being thrown centrifugally with the rapid rotation of the collecting ring, I provide a guard band I8 which closely surrounds the collecting ring above the oil level.

It is of course necessary that the delivery ring and guard band shall remain in a xed relatively stationary position in the journal box. I therefore connect the ring and band, back of the collecting ring and below the bearing brass, by webs I9, and provide lugs 20 on the sides of the guard which engage the sides of the journal box. It is not necessary to secure these lugs on the box,

since the delivery ring and guard band are maintained centered by reason of their engagement with the collecting ring. In fact, it is better to let the lugs float, since by so doing, the ring and band unit is free to move axially of the box, and follow any slight corresponding end play of the journal which may occur.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fullls the objects or the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A journal lubricator for a journal box having an oil cellar therein, a ring disposed concentric with and overhanging the outer end of the journal, said ring having an oil receiving channel at the top provided With a side outlet to deliver oil onto the top of the journal at the front end of the bearing thereof, means to maintain the ring against rotation in the box, and an oil collecting ring fixed with the journal and closely surrounding the rst named ring, said collecting ring having a peripheral opening extending to its bore and in the form of a scoop to depend into and lift oil from the cellar and deliver such oil into the channel with the rotation of the journal.

2. A structure as in claim 1, With a segmental guard band mounted against rotation in the box and extending concentric with the collecting ring about a portion of the same above the oil cellar and forming a closure for the mouth of the scoop as the latter leaves the oil cellar and until after the scoop has moved beyond the oil receiving channel.

3. A structure as in claim l, with means forming a closure for the mouth of the scoop as the latter leaves the cellar and until after the scoop has moved beyond the oil receiving channel.

4. A structure as in claim l, with a guard band forming a closure for the mouth of the scoop as the latter leaves the oil cellar and until after the scoop has moved beyond the oil receiving channel, and means connecting the band and iirst named ring together as a unit.

BENEDETTO G. CAPRA. 

